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Haven't read the article yet, so I don't judge the merits of his proposal, but unproven priors is exactly how science is built. A scientific hypothesis is taken
by pa7x1 6y ago
Haven't read the article yet, so I don't judge the merits of his proposal, but unproven priors is exactly how science is built. A scientific hypothesis is taken without proof, then you derive its consequences and try to falsify them.
What Wolfram has to do is to replicate known physics at a minimum and ideally derive new testable predictions that we can attempt to falsify.
If he does that his unproven priors will become the new "taken for granted" priors.
- WJW 6y agoThat would be nice and he mentions that he can already replicate a few of the observed effects from relativity. But my point was exactly that he has (so far) not generated any testable predictions. I'd love it if he did.
- BadThink6655321 6y agoWhat do we do with a theory that conforms to every measurement ever made, but whose predictions aren’t testable? After all, we’re already there. We’ll never measure the interior of a black hole, for example. I think our theory selection criteria needs work.
- rbanffy 6y ago> but whose predictions aren’t testable? Until we can test it, we should avoid calling it a theory. In the meantime develop it until we can test it. We continue observing until we find something that isn't quite right.
- outworlder 6y ago> We’ll never measure the interior of a black hole, for example Don't say 'never'. You can say we are pretty confident that the interior of black holes can't be measured now or in the future, given our current understanding. But science is not made of absolutes. > What do we do with a theory that conforms to every measurement ever made, but whose predictions aren’t testable Then it's kinda worthless, at last for physics. If two explanations agree with all observations (so far) that means they are completely interchangeable. You might as well use Occam's Razor and pick the simplest one. Until such time we find experimental differences, then we can compare again.
- marcus_holmes 6y agowell, the next step in the mathematics -> physics chain is either Chemistry or Engineering. If your theory allows an engineer to build a warp drive, your theory is sound. If not, not.